English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2) — A1 is the friendliest place to start — and browse its words grouped by topic: travel, food, the body, emotions, and more. Each word shows its meaning, example sentences, and US/UK pronunciation.
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47 words
goose
C1
/ɡus/
A large water bird with webbed feet and a long neck, bigger than a duck.
prey
C1
/pɹeɪ/
An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.
kidney
C1
/ˈkɪdni/
One of the two organs in the body that filter waste from the blood and produce urine.
sole
C1
/soʊl/
Being the only one; single.
famine
C1
/ˈfæmɪn/
a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death
munch
C1
/ˈmʌntʃ/
To eat something steadily, often noisily, with the mouth closed.
burgundy
C1
/ˈbɝɡəndi/
wine produced in the Burgundy region of eastern France, especially its red or white table wine
crumble
C1
/ˈkɹʌmbəl/
To break or fall apart into small pieces.
culinary
C1
/ˈkʌlɪˌnɛri/
relating to cooking, kitchens, or the preparation of food
tidal
C1
/ˈtaɪ.d(ə)l/
of or relating to or caused by tides
intake
C1
/ˈɪntæɪk/
The amount of something, especially food, drink, or air, that is taken into the body.
bubbly
C1
/ˈbʌbli/
Cheerful, lively, and full of energy.
cranberry
C1
/ˈkɹæn.bɛr.i/
a small, tart red berry used in sauces, drinks, and baked foods
mead
C1
/miːd/
an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with added herbs, spices, or fruit
crumb
C1
/kɹʌm/
A tiny piece that breaks off bread, cake, or similar food.
lard
C1
/lɑɹd/
soft white fat rendered from pigs and used in cooking
yeast
C1
/jist/
any of various single-celled fungi that ferment sugars and reproduce chiefly by budding
cater
C1
/ˈkeɪɾɚ/
To provide what someone wants or needs, especially a particular group.
cauldron
C1
/ˈkɔːldrən/
a large deep pot used for boiling food or liquid, traditionally over an open fire
lieu
C1
/ljuː/
instead of
luscious
C1
/ˈlʌʃ.əs/
richly sweet, delicious, or pleasing to taste
chowder
C1
/ˈtʃaʊdɚ/
a rich, thick soup or stew, commonly made with fish or shellfish, potatoes, and milk or cream
carte
C1
/kɑrt/
a menu or bill of fare
loin
C1
/lɔɪn/
a cut of meat from the back of an animal between the ribs and the hip
tater
C1
/ˈteɪ.tɚ/
a potato; an informal or dialectal term
arid
C1
/ˈæɹ.ɪd/
lacking sufficient water or rainfall
succulent
C1
/ˈsʌkjələnt/
Full of juice and very pleasant to eat.
calorie
C1
/ˈkæləɹi/
A unit that measures the energy in food and drink.
distillery
C1
/dɪˈstɪl.ɚ.i/
a place equipped for producing alcoholic spirits by distillation
reddish
C1
/ˈɹɛdɪʃ/
Somewhat red.
skewer
C1
/ˈskjuː.ɚ/
a long, thin pin of metal or wood used to hold pieces of food during cooking
apéritif
C1
/əˌpɛrəˈtiːf/
an alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite
suds
C1
/sʌdz/
The bubbles and foam made by soap mixed with water.
compote
C1
/ˈkɑːm.poʊt/
fruit cooked slowly in sugar syrup, served as a dessert or accompaniment
pimento
C1
/pɪˈmɛntoʊ/
allspice: the dried aromatic berry of the tropical tree Pimenta dioica, or the tree itself
greenish
C1
/ˈɡɹiːnɪʃ/
of the color between blue and yellow in the color spectrum
discoverer
C1
/dɪˈskʌvəɹəɹ/
One who discovers: a person who has discovered something.
unwillingness
C1
/ənˈwɪlɪŋnɪs/
the trait of being unwilling
carafe
C1
/kəˈræf/
a glass container used for serving water, wine, or another drink
uncork
C1
/ʌnˈkɔrk/
to remove the cork or stopper from a bottle or other container
confectionery
C1
/kənˈfɛkʃənəɹi/
sweets, chocolates, candies, and other foods made chiefly with sugar, considered collectively
peppercorn
C1
/ˈpɛpɚkɔɹn/
a dried berry of the pepper plant, used whole or ground as a spice
decant
C1
/dəˈkænt/
to pour a liquid from one container into another
masticate
C1
/ˈmæs.tə.keɪt/
to chew food by crushing and grinding it with the teeth
parboil
C1
/ˈpɑrˌbɔɪl/
to boil food briefly or until it is only partly cooked, usually before cooking it by another method
succulently
C1
In a way that is full of juice and pleasant to eat.
wine-shop
C1
/ˈwaɪnˌʃɑp/
a shop or tavern where wine is sold